Rochester: Minnesota's Mayo Clinic

In southern Minnesota, Rochester is known worldwide for its medical clinic bearing the Mayo family name.

The center, home of the famous Mayo Clinic, is visited comfortably on foot.

The Mayo Clinic, founded in the late nineteenth century, remains among the world's most renowned medical centers, visited annually by international patients.

A short walk away, the Plummer Building, a historic Gothic skyscraper that housed the clinic's original offices, still dominates the downtown skyline.

Walking along the river, you stroll on the Zumbro River Trail, a green path that crosses the heart of the city.

In the evening, the downtown district comes alive with restaurants frequented by doctors and patients from around the world.

The Mayo Clinic, founded by the Mayo brothers in 1889 following a devastating tornado that struck the city hard, has grown from a small local medical practice into one of the world's most important and respected healthcare research centers.

Rochester hosts tens of thousands of international patients every year seeking treatment, making the city one of Minnesota's most multicultural communities despite its relatively modest size.